


It Comes For Us All (Some More Than Others)

by RandomReader13



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood: Lost Days
Genre: Angst, Blood and Gore, Gen, Heavy Angst, Lazarus Pit, This is a rough one guys, Violence, also different from how I usually write Talia, it's Jason resurrection is accepted, to be fair he doesn't stay dead?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:22:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22537729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RandomReader13/pseuds/RandomReader13
Summary: In a darker universe, Talia has other methods of training Jason.
Relationships: Talia al Ghul & Jason Todd
Comments: 6
Kudos: 137





	It Comes For Us All (Some More Than Others)

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Stargazer](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14616777) by [LemonadeGarden](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LemonadeGarden/pseuds/LemonadeGarden). 



> Going through my favs out of quarantine boredom and I found the fic that inspired this! Y'all need to go read everything by LemonadeGarden but especially the one linked as inspiration bc it's just *chef's kiss* in every possible way

Blood trickled into Jason’s eyes, but he didn’t dare wipe it away. He slowly circled to the right, feet shuffling over the ground like he had been taught. It had only taken one instance of someone yanking his foot out from under him for it to stick. His stomach flared in phantom pain at the memory and Jason gritted his teeth against the feeling of _wrong_ that permeated every cell of his body. Humans weren’t meant to survive swords through the gut. Humans weren’t meant to be healed and revived again and again. Humans weren’t meant to wake up in their graves.

Jeers floated through the air, mingling with the smell of sweat and blood. It was everywhere, dripping from limbs and soaking the sand under his feet. The blades of his kama were drenched in it, the wood of the handles dyed a hellish red.

His opponent, a trainee named Zafir, matched him, step for step, yari held at the ready. The back of Jason’s mind was racing, subconsciously studying his opponent and comparing their skillsets and weapons. Zafir had the reach, without a doubt, but only the tip of his spear was the real danger. Jason could handle some blunt damage long enough to kill the other trainee.

Jason charged forward, sliding across the blood-slicked sand on his knees under Zafir’s strike and smoothly getting back on his feet, kama already raised to catch the shaft of the yari between them. The spear tip brushed his torn shirt, tracing a thin, stinging line across Jason’s chest, but didn’t move further, despite its handler’s efforts. Jason grinned viciously at Zafir’s wide eyes, using one kama to push the spear to the side, stepping forward and bringing the other sickle up in a swooping arc. Zafir’s throat exploded in a mess of blood and bone and he dropped to the ground. The whole thing had taken less than a minute.

Jason turned to look up at the shouting crowd ringing the sides of the fighting pit. Talia met his eyes and Jason bared bloody teeth, taking vicious pleasure in the look of disgust that flickered over her face. She flicked a hand and two more assassins lept into the pit. Jason tightened his grip on his kama, slipping into a better stance. He had to be careful, make sure to factor Zafir’s body into the terrain. He wasn’t too worried, he had already done so with the seven others scattered around the arena. He did have to worry about the Frankish throwing axes one of his opponents was carrying. His kama couldn’t deflect those, and he had seen how well they could rip a human apart. He didn’t fancy that being his next death.

The fight was as fast and brutal as the ones before it. Jason was at a distinct disadvantage, having already fought eight opponents while the others were fresh, but he also had the benefit of Lazarus running through his veins. It was a constant hiss in the back of his mind, but it didn’t cloud his thoughts as it had in the beginning. Death after death had taught him to control the green whispers, to listen just enough to speed his reflexes without sacrificing control.

It was those whispers that warned him of the sword-wielding assassin’s attack, and he stepped to the side, parrying a few blocks, taking a painful slice up the arm, and burying one of his blades between the woman’s ribs.

It was those whispers that were too slow to save him from the ax to the back.

Jason staggered, falling to his knees, blood pouring from his mouth. His head dropped and he stared down at his chest, the tip of the ax sticking out below his rib cage. The kama dropped from his hands. He gasped weakly as the ax was jerked from his back, pain lighting up his nerves like a roaring flame. His opponent kicked him over onto his back, and Jason could feel sand sticking to his back. Tears were streaming down his face, the body’s natural response to pain that he couldn’t seem to shake, no matter how many times he experienced it. His heart was pounding in his chest, brain sending out massive quantities of adrenaline that he was too far gone to use. Jason stared up as his opponent stepped on his chest, ribs snapping under the weight. Familiar darkness crept over his vision. Jason didn’t bother fighting it. In an hour or so he’d wake up with no sign that he had died again. Nothing but the mental scars to remind him that he failed once again. He would be back here tomorrow if Talia was generous; earlier if she thought he was not progressing fast enough. Jason felt a flicker of regret for his show of defiance earlier, but he shoved it away. It made no difference, in the end.

His opponent raised the ax and Jason let his eyes fall shut.

Another day, another death.

There was no escape.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to see a slowed-down version of the move Jason does where he kills Zafir, you can look [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7GKzuoZ2oY). It's the first move they demonstrate.  
> Comments are always welcome!  
> [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/theawkwardvirgin)


End file.
